Here’s How You Can Properly Dispose Of Your RX Medications

So you’re doing your spring cleaning, and your next focus area is in your medicine cabinet. You’ve found multiple bottles with long gone expiration dates, and you’re not sure how you can responsibly dispose of all of these pills.

Fair warning, you may want to keep track carefully of when your medicine expires to ensure that no one else consumes them without noticing. Many of times there is accidental consumption of expired pills that lead to severe health issues.

There are three different options you have when getting rid of your expired or unneeded medication, but first, check any instructions on the labeling to see if the answer is provided on there.

Many medications have a step by step disposal instruction method preferred but if not then you’re just going to have to make an educated choice.

There are many of these located throughout the states, but for you to find one in your local area, you must search online or call. There are various events set up in communities where the DEA will come to collect all unused or expired medications to ensure the safekeeping and disposal. Some sites have ‘drop off boxes,’ but again it all depends on the area you’re in to see what kind of options are available.

Option 2: Flush:

There is a list of medication that is recommended for disposal by being flushed if there is a concern of immediate disposal in the household. Most of the drugs that can be flushed are generic with generic formulations regarding their active ingredient. The majority of medications can be disposed of this way as it doesn’t do any harm to the drain if they are of decent sizing and done in increments. This is definitely one of the most convenient ways to get rid of any unneeded medication.

Option 3: Place In Household Trash

If multiple medications need to be thrown away, you can place them all into a sealed plastic bag. Do not crush the tablets or capsules exposing the ingredients in a harmful way. It is best to mix kitty little, soil or used coffee grounds as the unpalatable substance will assist with hiding the medication as well as refraining from a fatal combination.

Before placing the medication or the bottles of prescribed medicine make sure all of the personal information is scratched out and unreadable to ensure privacy. Then simply put the containers or sealed plastic bag in the trashcan until you either take it out to the bigger one, or it’s trash day.

All in all, make sure you’re disposing of any unneeded, expired or harmful medications within your household using whichever option is more suitable for you. There isn’t necessarily an option that is better than another, but there is no harm in reaching out to DEA authorized collectors to ensure that the medicine isn’t being placed in the wrong hands.

Check out the video below for more info on how to dispose of your medicine!